Head Chef – High Volume | Creative & Commercial Leadership

Macs Beach Cafe; Gosford; On-site; AUD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Macs Beach Cafe in Gosford is seeking a hands-on Head Chef to lead a high-volume, seasonal operation. You’ll own kitchen leadership, rostering and labour management, menu development and costing, and drive profitability during peak periods.

Collaborate with ownership to identify opportunities, develop new products and improve the offering for year-round appeal. Passion for food trends and strong supplier relationships are essential.

Qualifications

• Minimum five years' experience leading a high-volume, seasonal hospitality operation.
• Experience building wage budgets and managing costs.
• Strong menu development skills and ability to translate ideas into profitable dishes.
• Passion for food trends and staying ahead of industry developments.
• Organised, self-motivated and able to operate with minimal supervision.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor and hold the kitchen team accountable to deliver high performance.
• Build smart rosters that respond to seasonal demand without compromising service.
• Create contemporary menus reflecting trends and coastal client preferences.
• Understand margins, portions, wastage and dish profitability.
• Maintain consistency, speed and quality during peak periods.
• Drive prep systems, stock control and supplier relationships.

Skills

Leadership

Menu development

Roster planning

Labour management

Food cost control

Job description

Head Chef – High Volume | Creative & Commercial Leadership

This is a hands-on leadership position with genuine responsibility and the opportunity to make a significant impact on the business. You'll take ownership of kitchen leadership, rostering and labour management, menu development, menu costing and profitability, high-volume operations, problem-solving, systems and organisation, and business development working collaboratively with ownership to identify opportunities and improve the offering.

Key responsibilities

• Lead, mentor and hold your team accountable while creating a positive, efficient and high-performing kitchen culture
• Build smart, commercially sustainable rosters that respond to seasonal demand without compromising service standards
• Create exciting, contemporary menus that reflect current food trends, coastal location and customer preferences
• Understand food costs, margins, portion control, wastage and the commercial performance of every dish
• Deliver exceptional consistency, speed and quality during peak periods when the kitchen is under serious pressure
• Be the go-to person when challenges arise, bringing solutions, making decisions and taking responsibility
• Drive prep systems, ordering, stock control, supplier relationships, food safety and kitchen efficiencies
• Work collaboratively with ownership to identify opportunities, develop new products and attract customers throughout the year

About you

• Minimum five years' experience leading a high-volume, seasonal hospitality operation
• Successfully managed a busy kitchen through extreme seasonal fluctuations
• Genuinely passionate about food and stays ahead of emerging food trends
• Understand the commercial side of hospitality as well as cooking
• Can build a roster, manage a wage budget and confidently lead a team
• Strong menu development skills and knows how to turn a great idea into a profitable, operationally practical product
• Organised, resourceful and capable of working independently without constant direction
• Takes pride in developing staff, improving systems and setting high standards
• Remains calm, decisive and solutions-focused under pressure
• Has an entrepreneurial mindset and is constantly looking for ways to improve the business

About us

We're an established, high-volume beachside venue operating in a unique seasonal environment. In summer, we pump out hundreds of meals a day. In the quieter months, the focus shifts to innovation, efficiency, developing new revenue opportunities and giving customers more reasons to visit.